8. Nick
8
NICK
A fter the heat that shot through me when my lips touched Scarlett's, I needed to cool off. I walked the sidewalks around the square for a while, then sat in my car and watched the crowds shop. She'd lit my entire body on fire, and it was just an innocent kiss under the mistletoe with a bunch of kids laughing at us. But the spark was undeniable.
When lunchtime rolled around, I headed home to eat. I busied myself with some household chores, dishes, mopping, catching up the laundry, but I couldn't get my mind off of her. I knew it wasn't healthy, and it was probably some horrible hangup I had after having so much social trauma, but the idea that there was actually another person in this world who could look at me as a human and not judge me made my heart come alive again. Not to mention she was in my hometown.
The counselor I saw briefly after Kate's death would say I was acting clingy or even codependent, but I knew that wasn't the case. I knew it because I knew if Scarlett said she wasn't interested or that she was too nervous about what people might say, I'd back off immediately. The last thing I'd want would be to drag someone else into my misery.
By the time 4 p.m. rolled around I was so antsy and eager to see Scarlett again, I couldn't help myself. I pulled out my tablet with Ethan's medical file saved on it and looked up her number. I wanted to call, but I was nervous and didn't really know what to say. I programmed her number into my contacts and laid my tablet on my nightstand, but I still didn't have the guts to call.
So instead, I sent her a text. I carefully crafted each word in an attempt to show her I was interested without trying to sound desperate or overeager. Then I deleted the whole thing and tried again. I did that at least four times before I finally settled on a good message.
Nick 4:12 PM: Hi, Scarlett, it's Nicholas Edwards. I really enjoyed coffee with you this morning and I wondered how your booth at the market did.
When I hit send, it was like the ignition on a gas stove. It sent waves of anxiety radiating through me. I felt like a middle school kid who wrote his crush a letter and handed it over to a friend to be delivered. The only thing worse than the panic I felt was the dread that clouded my thought process over what her response would be.
No response would be the worst. The anxiety would just linger indefinitely until days passed and I realized I'd been ghosted. But a negative response would gut me. Though, at least I'd know what she was thinking. I was so focused on the negative and preparing myself for her inevitable rejection that I wasn't prepared for her to actually respond almost instantly.
Scarlett 4:14 PM: Hey, Nick! It went great! We sold out twenty minutes ago and I'm just packing up.
The air in my chest deflated like a balloon and I could finally breathe again. It wasn't like she said we were an item, but she hadn't rejected me, and for that I was thrilled but instantaneously challenged again. It was my turn to message her, and I had no clue what to say. When we were talking this morning, our conversation flowed so freely, so why was I struggling? I really liked her, and it wasn't because she was the only woman in years to look my way. She was sweet and kind and funny, and my God she was gorgeous too.
Nick 4:16 PM: Need some help?
My text was short but sweet and I watched three dots roll across the screen as she typed her response.
Scarlett 4:16 PM: Sure, come on over.
She ended with a smiley face and I grinned stupidly at my screen. It took me less than thirty seconds to have my shoes and coat on, and in under ten minutes, I was at the square walking to her booth.
As I approached, I noticed one of the women who worked at the bakery was helping her. They were stacking empty bakery trays into the back of the bakery's delivery van. The woman didn't seem pleased to see me. She tucked a strand of her curly hair around her ear and glared at me before turning her back and finishing the last few trays.
Scarlett dusted her hands and gave the woman a hug, then turned to look at me. Had I known they were already finished, I'd have brought some cocoa or something to offer her so we'd have a moment to enjoy. This looked like I was too late and she'd be driving off before sunset, leaving me standing here feeling foolish.
"Hey, Nick," Scarlett said, and she walked toward me. I watched the other woman climb into the van and pull out, and the area where the booth was, now had been cleared of everything. Only the metal and canvas frame was left, which would be torn down by town volunteers later tomorrow afternoon.
"I'm sorry. I came as fast as I could."
Scarlett glanced over her shoulder at the retreating van and then met my gaze again. "Oh, it's okay. Nellie showed up when I was messaging you. We finished up just fine…But I could use a ride?" The way her voice rose at the end of her statement made my lips curl up at the corners. She wanted time with me and I wasn't even the one to pursue it.
"Of course, I'd love to…" I extended my elbow to her and she hooked her arm around it, and I guided her back toward my car, parked a few blocks away.
"So you made decent money, huh?" I asked, curious how these things worked. It was easy for me as a doctor. I took a salary from my practice and from the hospital and let the accountants sort it out. Yes, I was a business owner, but with my parents' money left to me when Dad died, and my wealth from my practice, I had enough to pay people to run the business end. Scarlett probably had to do that all herself.
"We did. It was a very profitable day, but I'd rather talk about you…" Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at me. "What did you do all day?" she asked me, and I felt like she was genuinely curious. It really felt amazing to have someone interested in me and my day. It was the littlest thing, but so touching.
"Honestly, I cleaned my house and thought about you." My ears burned and I felt nervous energy zing through me.
"About me?" she said curiously.
"More specifically, about that kiss…And honestly, about that night we shared." It was true. I hadn't stopped thinking about that night since I learned who she was. And no matter how many times I beat off trying to get her from my head, the images in my mind stayed firmly lodged there. I couldn't close my eyes without seeing her body and wanting to touch myself.
"Oh," she said, but it sounded like intrigue. "What were you thinking about that night?"
I opened the car door for her and she climbed in, so I had time to think about what to say to her when I got in. I'd never felt so flustered and excited in my life. When I sat down and started driving, I fell into a very awkward and uncomfortable silence. I wanted to spend more time with her, but I didn't know how to ask.
"Oh, turn here," she said, pointing as I rolled to a stop.
I don't know what came over me, but I blurted out: "Would you like to come to my place for a cup of coffee or a beer?" My mind instantly flashed to the last image I stored in my memory of my fridge. I had at least two beers, but I wasn't sure about cream for coffee. And now I was feeling sick in the gut again even in the split second it took her to respond.
"I'd love that," she mewled, and she shifted in her seat to angle her shoulders to face me more.
The entire atmosphere in the car shifted and it wasn't just because the heat had finally kicked in. The temperature rose a thousand degrees, and my dick felt plump and full.
I tried to make small talk about the Christmas market, but every time she responded I got jitters. Butterflies met the maelstrom of uncertain but hopeful emotions swirling in my chest and I pulled up in front of my house and shut the car off. I had no way of knowing if she felt the pull toward me that I was feeling toward her, but I had to know.
I climbed out and started to round the car to open her door, but she was out and met me in front of the car before I could do it. I held my keys in hand and led her to the front door, which in my haste I'd left unlocked. Silently cursing my stupidity, I opened it for her and she followed me in.
"This is nice," she said, smiling at the single Christmas decoration in my home—a poinsettia I purchased to give to my secretary. My house never got decorated anymore. I never felt much like celebrating anyway.
"Scarlett, I have to tell you, I'm feeling a lot of things right now…" I turned to face her and she smiled softly, and I swore she smirked at me. Her eyes fell to my lips, then swept over my body, lingering on the bulge in my pants before returning to my face.
"I can see that," she said so quietly I wanted to lean closer to hear her say it again.
"And I can't stop thinking about that kiss…and if you want me to just take you home right now I will, but I swear I'm going insane inside my head." I knew I was rambling but she was listening and smiling, and licking her lip. "And I've replayed that night in my head a thousand times and all I can think about is you."
"Well, what should we do about that, Dr. Edwards?" The way she said my name like that sent a jolt of lust through my groin. How sexy it was for her to use my title. All I wanted to do was strip her down and examine every square inch of her body with my tongue.
"Do you know what you're doing to me? How long it's been since I've felt this way?" I stepped toward her and she smiled bigger and shrugged a shoulder, tipping her head to meet it in a cheeky fashion.
"Well, when you kissed me at the market, I did like that. And it's not like we haven't been in a similar position to this one before." Her reasoning was all feigned for show, but she was right, and now I knew she felt what I felt. "So when you asked me to come to your house, I kinda figured you'd want to kiss me again…And that kissing might lead to more than kissing…And, well…" She looked up at me through her lashes in a seductive expression that had me restraining my inner beast. "I'm here. So, we should think of something to do."
There was no doubt in my mind that she and I were on the same page, and I had no more willpower to hold back this lust. I tore my coat off and let it drop to the floor then closed the gap between us and crushed my mouth against hers.
Her moan into my mouth signaled her approval and I wrapped my arms around her waist, kissing her, and backing her toward my bedroom. She was so lithe in my arms and felt like pure desire with every touch of her fingers. We tore at each other's clothing, both of us topless by the time we were in the bedroom. I set her down on the bed and knelt between her thighs, slowly starting to unbutton her shirt. Her eyes never left mine as I bared her creamy skin.
"You're so beautiful," I said, my voice reverent as I traced her collarbone with my tongue.
She arched into the contact and her nipples hardened even more than they already were. I continued my slow sensual exploration of her skin, bringing myself to my knees between her thighs. I nuzzled the area between her thighs through her underwear and she moaned louder, then grabbed two handfuls of my hair, entwining her fingers in it as if to brace herself.
I looked up at her, grinning at her wanton display of need for me. "Does this feel good?"
"God yes," she moaned out as she brushed my hair from my forehead, but then she grabbed my face and brought it back down to where I'd been. "Don't stop now…" The lusty expression on her face intensified as I hooked two fingers into the crotch of her panties and pulled. She lay back on the bed as I stole her underwear and tossed them. Then I quickly shed my pants and boxers to the pile of clothes at my feet.
Scarlett looked up at me as she gently rubbed her swollen clit and I lowered myself back to my position at the side of the bed. If I remembered correctly, this was her favorite. Though it had been eight years, and people were prone to change, she didn't seem resistant to my actions. She spread her legs farther and I dived in, flicking her clit with my tongue.
Her flavor hadn't changed, sweet like honey and arousal. I groaned into her folds as I lapped at the wetness pooling there.
"Oh my God, you're so wet," I moaned against her clit, then plunged two fingers inside her sopping core. She gasped and arched her back into the mattress then mewled as I rubbed her G-spot. I continued to piston my fingers in and out as I flicked her clit with my tongue. Her hand curled in my hair as she ground herself against my face.
"Yes! God, yes!" she moaned.
Her enjoyment spurred me on and I doubled my efforts. As she neared climax, her muscles clenched around my invading digits and her juices coated my hand. "Oh God, yes. Please…more…"
Her legs shook around my shoulders as I continued to pleasure her, licking every drop of her essence off her thighs and between her legs. When her moans subsided to whimpers, I crawled up her trembling body, my cock hard and ready. Her lips were soft and supple, and her hand gripped my girth and stroked.
"I don't have a condom," I admitted, hoping it wasn't a deterrent. I knew I was clean, and foolishly, I was willing to take the risk. I could pull out. It wasn't a foolproof plan, but what else was I supposed to do? We didn't plan this.
"I have an implant," she said, "and I'm clean…" Her eyes searched my face and I claimed her lips again.
"God, woman, I want to blow inside you so bad." My body weighed hers down, pinning her hand between the two of us. "I'm clean, and I just need your permission." My hips were already rocking, grinding my dick against her pelvis.
"Do it," she panted, and when I lifted my weight off her, she guided me to her entrance.
I slid in deep in one fluid motion, seating myself completely within her tight walls. Scarlett's eyes floated shut and her neck arched. Her nails dug into my biceps as I held myself up on my elbows, careful not to crush her with my weight.
"You feel so good," she moaned, opening her eyes and looking at me with a mixture of lust and desire.
"God, Scarlett," I groaned, and began to rock my hips, pulling out then thrusting back in, over and over again. Her walls gripped my dick like a vise, as if she were trying to keep me inside.
"Yes," she hissed, her head thrashing from side to side on the pillow. "Faster, Nick."
I obliged her command and sped up my thrusts, driving into her recklessly. She was so wet; kissing my neck and moaning my name spurred me on.
"Oh God, I'm close," she whimpered into my shoulder as I held onto her hips for leverage. "Don't stop."
I continued to pound away at her tight passage—one hand on her lower back, one hand gripping the headboard—until I felt my own release inevitably close. "I'm gonna?—"
"Oh, Nick, me too, God yes!" she cried out as we both came together, our steamy breaths mingling in the hot air of my bedroom. She convulsed and jolted, dancing on the mattress under me, and I felt my balls draw up as the pressure got so intense I thought my body would ignite. My seed spilled into her and my thrusts slowed. She continued to writhe for a moment, and I lingered inside her, continuing her pleasure until she sighed and closed her eyes. I collapsed next to her, my chest heaving with each breath.
Scarlett let out a soft sigh and then snickered. "Well, that was unexpected."
"But so worth it…" My body felt more relaxed than it had in years and I had her to thank. "Stay there, let me get you a hot towel." I rolled off the bed, destroying my afterglow by getting up too soon, but I wanted her to enjoy hers.
I walked into the bathroom and took a wash rag off the shelf and ran the water until it was hot. Then I soaked the rag and wrung it out. When I walked back into the bedroom, Scarlett was lying on her side staring down at my tablet, which she'd taken from the nightstand. In any other circumstance I would've been upset, but I left it there unlocked and open with Ethan's chart up earlier when I got her phone number from it. She was looking at her son's medical files.
"What does all this mean?" she asked innocently. Her doe eyes peered up at me, and I saw worry there.
I climbed into the bed behind her and curled my body around her, kissing the back of her shoulder. She had opened Ethan's diagnosis sheet with the facts. We'd already given it to her even though we had more tests to run, but she hadn't taken time to ask very many questions. I got that a lot with patients who felt overwhelmed up front. Their questions came later when the shock of the diagnosis had worn off and they were thinking more clearly.
"It means this condition that he has is hereditary, and that only one in five hundred people get it." I felt her body tense, and she sighed. "It means, either you or Ethan's father is a carrier, whether or not there have been symptoms. You should consider getting your DNA tested."
Scarlett was quiet for a second and still rigid in my arms. I knew how difficult getting a diagnosis like this could be and I felt sorry for her and her son. I didn't want to dwell on that right now though, and I didn't want her to either. I knew the boy would have a bumpy road, but he'd be fine in the end. So I locked the tablet and put it behind me and she rolled to her back and looked up into my eyes as I took the hot wash rag and wiped her clean.
"Mmm," she mewled, smiling as I rubbed sensitive parts of her groin.
"Scarlett, would you consider having dinner with me some night? I don't want to take you from your work or your son, but I would really enjoy having more time with you."
I finished mopping our sex off her soft folds and looked back down at her face where a broad smile beamed up at me.
"I would honestly love that, Nick."
My heart soared at her response and I leaned down and kissed her softly. Part of me was so exhilarated I could hardly speak, but part of me was still guarded, and I didn't know if I'd ever fix that part. Fiona had done a number on my confidence and ability to trust, and I didn't want to ruin this with my hang-ups. Scarlett giving me a chance could either make or break my future. I just hoped it was the former. I couldn't take much more darkness in my life.